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0.13. SWARTZ.-

RAILROAD SWITCH.

No. 363,348. Patented May 17, 1887.

N PETERS, Phnm-Lilhngmpher, Washington, ac.

NITED STATES OLIVER EDVIN SWARTZ, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR OFONE- HALF TO H. HOUPT, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,348, dated May 17,1887.

Application filed September 25, 1886. Serial No. 214,544.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER EDWIN SWARTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Switches, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in I railway-switches; and itconsists in the pcculiar construction and combination of devices, thatwill be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed outin the claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of a railway-switchembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig.3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 00 m of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a detiailed perspective view of one of the switchral s.

A represents the rails of the main track. B represents the rails of asiding or branch track, and 0 represents the pivoted switchrails, whichare adapted to connect the side or branch track with the main track. Thesaid switch-rails have their free ends cut away on their under sides fora considerable distance, thereby leaving only the head of theswitchrails at their free ends intact, and forming projecting arms Dupon the upper sides of the free ends of the switch-rails. The shanks ofthe said switch-rails at their free ends are beveled on one side at D,and thereby adapted to bear closely against the sides of the main rails.The free ends of the switch-rails are supported upon slide-plates E,which are elevated above the ties that support the main rails a distanceequal to the thickness of the heads of the switch-rails, so that whenthe said switch rails have their free beveled ends moved inwardlyagainst the sides of the main rails the arms or extended heads D of thesaid switch-rails will bear upon the upper sides of the main rails, asshown in solid lines in the drawings.

It will be readily understood that a train proceeding along the maintrack in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 will be switchedoff onto the sides or branch track when it reaches the free ends of theswitch-rails. The latter are connected together by the usual rod, F,operated by a lever, G, fulcrumed to (N0 model.)

the switeh-stand in the usual manner. When the said lever is thrown soas to cause the free ends of the switch-rails to be moved from the mainrails, the main track is unobstructed. By thus providing theswitch-rails with eX- tended arms that are adapted to bear upon theupper sides of the main rails it will be readily understood that theswitch-rails are not subject to much wear, as the wheels of a train rolleasily from the main rails onto the said switch-rails, and thus a switchthus constructed is verydurable,besides beingeheap and simple.

I am aware that prior to my invention railway-switches have beenprovided with movable switch-rails which are beveled on the inner sidesadjoining the main track; and I am also aware that the under side of thefree ends of the movable switch-rails have been cut away, the sides ofthe cut-away portions lying at right angles. In this form of switch thefree endsof the movable switch-rails, which overlap the main-trackrails, present a square shoulder or abutment. against which the wheelsof a passing train strike or abut, which thereby soon wears the railaway and mashes it out of shape.

In my improved railway-switch I first cut away the web and foot of theswitch-rail at the free end of the latter to leave the head of the railintact, and thereby provide an integral arm which projects beyond theend of the rail for a considerable distance. The lower sideof thisprojecting arm is gradually beveled or inclined downwardly from theouter free end thereof toward the point where it joins the rail, and asthe switch-rail is inclined longitudinally on the chairs the beveled ortapered arm of the said rail is adapted to fit very snugly and closelyover the top or upper side of the main-track rails, the free end of thetapered arm lying very close to the main-track rails and presenting acomparatively thin end, which offers a minimum objection and obstructionto the passage of the wheels of the train. By making this tapered arm ofconsiderable length, so that it will lap over the main-track rails forsome distance, the safety of the switch is very materially increased, asthe wheels of theloeomotive ride upon the extreme ends of theswitch-rails while still in line with the main track and before turningto the side track.

I make no claim, broadly, to the switch-rails having the projecting armsat their free ends to ride over the main-track rails.

Having thus described my invention, I clann- In a railway-switch, thecombination of the main track, the side track, the fixed guideplates E,having the inclined upper surfaces and arranged in gradually-ascendingseries from the ends of the rigid rails of the side track to the maintrack, and the switch-rails O, flexibly connected to the side track andresting on the guide-plates, and thereby gradually ascending to themain-track rails, the free ends of the switch-rails having theirshanksentirely cut away for a considerable distance to leave the headsintact and thereby form integral arms D, projecting from the rails, theshanks of the latter being beveled at their free ends on thesidescontiguous to the maintrack rails at D, and the arms Dbeinggraduallyinelined downward on their upper sides, and thereby tapered totheir points at their outer ends, all combined and arranged to 0peratesubstantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses. v

OLIVER EDWIN SWARTZ.

Witnesses:

W. H. JOHNSTON, J. T. RICHARDSON.

